Lost Shirts
by JKO73
Summary: Tag to Recovery, 5x09.


**A/N Still don't own anything at all to do with NCISLA.**

**xoxoxoxoxoxox**

Deeks concentrated hard on regulating his breathing and keeping his arm loose as Kensi gently lifted it away from her and slipped out of his embrace, fighting his natural instinct to tighten his grasp and pull her closer to him. He listened carefully whilst she rummaged on the floor and didn't open his eyes until he heard her footsteps recede down the hall.

"Hey buddy, go with her, keep her company," he instructed Monty, who willingly leapt off the bed and trailed after his favourite person towards the kitchen.

Deeks rolled onto his back and ran his hand over the scruff surrounding his mouth, emitting a long sigh as he did so. He hoped desperately she had merely gone to get some water and would return quickly, crawling back under the duvet and cuddling up to him. But he knew her too well to believe that. She wasn't going to. He was certain she was now analysing everything that had happened in the last few hours, replaying every moment since he had told her exactly what he wanted, worrying about the consequences of their actions and debating whether to hurry back to her apartment, away from him and the significance of what had transpired between them.

He sat, drawing his knees up and resting his chin on them. Deciding what to do was impossible. Maybe he should go back to bed, try to sleep and let her work out whether to stay or run. Perhaps he should follow her but what would he say? He could lay everything on the line, tell her exactly what he wished to happen now, but he realised those words were likely to send her into a blind panic. He could play it casual, like it was no big deal, but it was, and they both knew it. Or, he could just go sit with her, let her lead the conversation and then deal with whatever she had to say. He decided the latter option was the best way to go and slowly swung his legs over the side of the bed, pausing for a moment to pull on some sweat pants, before setting off to discover his fate.

As he slowly padded into the kitchen, his breath hitched when he caught sight of Kensi, sitting curled up in a sun lounger on his balcony, her fingers lazily running through the fur behind Monty's ears. The moonlight allowed Deeks to see the look of concentration on her face and as his gaze lowered he noticed endless, tanned, bare legs and that she wore only the black button down shirt he had discarded on the bedroom floor shortly after their return from the restaurant. _She's beautiful_, he smiled to himself, _so beautiful_.

Needing a while longer to gather his thoughts and strength for what he recognised could be a life defining conversation, Deeks decided to warm some milk so he could make hot drinks for them. A few minutes later he stuck a packet of chocolate chip cookies under his arm, grabbed a steaming mug in each hand, took a deep breath and pushed open the door with his foot.

"Hey there Fern," he said, aiming for a casual tone, trying hard not to sound overly anxious.

Kensi turned her head in surprise, her hand briefly stilling on Monty's head, and responded with a smile. "Hey. Sorry if I woke you."

"No, no, that's fine. I just, you know, wondered where you were and…" The words trailed off as Deeks considered whether he should ask her what she was thinking. Unsure if he wanted to hear the answer, he decided to play it safe. "…and...I thought you might like this." Deeks held out his hand, offering her the drink.

Kensi reached for the mug and, cradling it between her hands, put it to her lips to take a mouthful. "Mmmm, hot chocolate, thanks." She spotted the packet Deeks now held in his right hand and beamed. "Ooh, cookies, yes please." Deeks chuckled softly and handed Kensi the food before settling opposite her on the edge of the lounger, his hip against her right knee.

They sat quietly for a while, munching the cookies and sipping their drinks, occasionally glancing at each other and looking away shyly when their eyes connected, before Kensi let out what sounded to Deeks like a contented sigh. "It's lovely out here, so peaceful. I didn't realise you can hear the ocean from your apartment."

It wasn't the warmest night to sit outside in minimal clothing but Deeks was keen to prolong the experience for as long as possible. "Are you warm enough? I could get a blanket?" Deeks gestured towards the apartment with his thumb.

Kensi shook her head. "No, really, I'm ok thanks. Monty is acting as a hot water bottle, he's pretty good at it, very cosy."

"Lucky Monty." Deeks muttered, half under his breath, without thinking.

Kensi didn't reply, but instead shifted slightly to the left, creating a gap beside her on the lounger. Neither spoke as Deeks' gaze swung between the available space and Kensi's face. Deeks took Kensi's silence and small smile as tacit consent and moved so they were sitting side by side, shoulders, hips and thighs touching.

They remained seated alongside each other, simply listening to the faint sound of the rolling waves, and Monty's gentle snores. Deeks' surreptitious glances at Kensi only served to confuse him. He had been expecting her to be agitated and ill at ease with the situation. However, the woman beside him appeared calm and decidedly unflustered, which, he acknowledged, was the opposite of how he was feeling. Eager to find resolution to the questions and concerns whirling through his mind, Deeks decided to break the quiet.

"You ok Kens?"

She turned her head to look at him, with a serious expression on her face. "I'm just thinking."

"About…?" Deeks failed to finish the sentence as his mind briefly flicked over a variety of options including _about us_, but he wasn't yet sure if there was an 'us' or _about the fact we've now seen each other naked_, but he felt that would probably be inappropriate or _about where we go from here_, but he concluded it may be too soon to press Kensi into that discussion. He settled on a vague wave of his hand between the two of them.

Kensi simply nodded her understanding and confirmation, her eyes never leaving his. She remained composed and relaxed which resulted in contrasting emotions overwhelming Deeks who could feel the tension escalating within him.

"Sorry, was that too awesome?" Deeks attempted to lighten the atmosphere and grinned broadly as he tilted his head in the direction of the bedroom. "I can, I can turn it down a notch."

He was rewarded with a snort of laughter from Kensi before she replied. "You know what I'm talking about. This..." she replicated his earlier hand gesture "… is nice, really nice."

"Ok. And that's a problem because…?" He let the sentence drift away, wondering anxiously what her response would be.

"I didn't say it was a problem." Kensi smiled and held his gaze for a moment before looking back at Monty and stroking his soft head.

They sat wordlessly; Kensi the epitome of serenity, Deeks flustered and fidgety.

Deeks glanced down at Kensi's legs, brushing his thumb and forefinger against the edge of his black shirt. "That shirt is working for you."

"I might keep it." Without looking at her, Deeks could hear the grin in Kensi's voice.

"What is it about girls taking guys' shirts after they've…well, you know…"

Kensi retorted, "Girls don't take the shirts Deeks. They _borrow_ them, there's a difference. If guys ever bothered to see those girls again, they'd get their shirts back."

"Fewer girls, more shirts?" Deeks angled his head towards Kensi and watched her intently, waiting for her reaction.

"Exactly. Choose just one girl to borrow your shirts and then you wouldn't keep losing them." Kensi turned and looked Deeks directly in the eye.

There was a heartbeat's pause before Deeks answered softly, maintaining eye contact, and continuing to stroke the edge of the black shirt resting against Kensi's thighs. "I've already chosen the girl, Kens. It's been a while since I lost any shirts because I've been waiting for the right time to lend one to that girl."

Deeks chuckled with incredulous delight at Kensi's responding blush and demonstrated his growing confidence by leisurely inching his hands upwards along the join of the shirt, before letting his fingers deliberately toy with the top button until he had eased it open. "It looks really good on you by the way."

Kensi let out the breath she hadn't realised she'd been holding, grinned and ran a finger downwards from his collar bone, over the centre of his chest, and across his abs, halting just before the waistband of his sweatpants. "It looked rather good on you earlier."

Grabbing Kensi's hand and holding it between his two larger ones, Deeks gently brushed a thumb over her knuckles. "How often were you thinking you may need to borrow a shirt?"

"Pretty often."

"And how long do you think this lending/borrowing situation may go on for?"

"Indefinitely." Kensi stated with an emphatic nod. She failed to keep her lips from twitching upwards in amusement at Deeks' open mouthed, shocked expression.

Kensi gracefully unfurled herself from the lounger and began to cross the balcony, stretching as she walked, the action raising the shirt even higher on her legs. She giggled as Deeks swallowed and shook his head in disbelief. As she sauntered slowly past Deeks towards the door she unhooked the remaining buttons and slid the shirt down her body, releasing it to land on the ground, exposing an expanse of bare skin. She looked back over her shoulder and grinned at the stunned man who sat, rooted to his seat.

"What, what are you doing there? Deeks stuttered.

"I thought you might want your shirt back?" Kensi shrugged, winked and walked indoors.

Deeks snapped out of his temporary paralysis and sprinted after his Partner, scooping the shirt off the tiles as he went. "You have no idea."


End file.
